What Love Has Joined Together
"What Love Has Joined Together" | |
---|---|
Song | |
Released | 1963 |
Genre | R&B |
Label | Motown |
Writer(s) |
Smokey Robinson Bobby Rogers |
"What Love Has Joined Together" is a song written and composed by Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Bobby Rogers, was recorded by five Motown acts: The Miracles, Mary Wells, The Temptations, Barbara McNair, and Syreeta, and was issued as B-sides to hits by Wells and The Temptations; "Your Old Standby" for Wells, released in 1963,[1] and "It's Growing" by The Temptations, released in 1965.[2][3]
Song information
The song talks about a person professing their love to their loved one regardless of people's comments trying to separate them, with the person stressing the point that "what love has joined together can nobody take it apart". The song was originally recorded by the Miracles in 1962. Wells would record her version a year later while the Temptations covered it for their The Temptations Sing Smokey album in 1965. Barbara McNair recorded her version in 1968 for a proposed album "Barbara McNair Sings Smokey." It remained unreleased until 2004. Syreeta's version appeared on her debut album for Motown's MoWest label which was released in 1972. The Miracles also would record a special extended version of the song in 1970, as the title cut from their album of the same name. (See What Love Has...Joined Together ) .
Personnel
The Miracles version
- Lead vocal by Smokey Robinson
- Background vocals by Claudette Rogers Robinson, Ronnie White, Pete Moore and Bobby Rogers
- Guitar by Marv Tarplin
- Other instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
Mary Wells version
- Lead vocal by Mary Wells
- Background vocal by the Love Tones
- Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
The Temptations version
- Lead vocal by Eddie Kendricks
- Background vocals by Paul Williams, David Ruffin, Melvin Franklin and Otis Williams
- Instrumentation by the Funk Brothers
Barbara McNair version
- Lead vocal by Barbara McNair
- Background vocal by The Andantes
- Instrumentation by LA musicians
Syreeta version
- Vocals by Syreeta
- Instrumentation by Stevie Wonder
External links
- What Love Has Joined Together- by The Miracles on YouTube
- Mary Wells' version on YouTube
- Temptations version on YouTube
References
- ↑ The Complete Motown Singles Vol 3: 1963 [CD liner notes]. New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records.
- ↑ The Complete Motown Singles Vol 5: 1965 [CD liner notes]. New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records.
- ↑ Williams, Otis and Romanowski, Patricia (1988, updated 2002). Temptations. Lanham, MD: Cooper Square. ISBN 0-8154-1218-5.